Fourth suspect in Christmas Eve stabbing pleads not guilty

An 18-year-old Olympia man accused of participating in a Dec. 24 stabbing pleaded not guilty to first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary in Thurston County Superior Court on Tuesday morning.

Arrin D. Salter Jr. was arrested Dec. 28 in downtown Olympia after a police officer recognized him. He is being held in the Thurston County Jail in lieu of $75,000.

Salter is the fourth suspect to be arraigned on charges related to the Dec. 24 incident. Aaron M. Simpson, Krista M. Hughes and Joshua O. Kimbrough were arraigned Jan. 6. Another suspect, Eric R. Ford, was arrested Monday.

A 14-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl were also arrested in connection to the assault.

Hughes told Thurston County Sheriff’s deputies that the dispute arose over her car, according to court documents. She said she loaned the car to a friend, who had agreed to pay her. She never received the money, so she asked some friends to help her get the car back.

The group drove to a home on Rumac Drive on Dec. 24 and saw the male victim sitting in the car, Hughes told deputies. She said everyone but her got out of the car, and she eventually heard screaming coming from the home, according to court documents.

She said Ford got back into the car and told her that Salter stabbed the victim, and that Simpson hit him with brass knuckles.

Two residents of the home said two or three men entered and demanded drugs, money and some wrapped Christmas presents, according to court documents.

The victim was treated at Providence St. Peter Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

This story was originally published January 13, 2015 at 3:05 PM with the headline "Fourth suspect in Christmas Eve stabbing pleads not guilty."